What is the name of the tick that bites humans? - briefly
The tick most frequently biting humans is the deer tick, also called the black‑legged tick (Ixodes scapularis). It is the primary vector of Lyme disease in North America.
What is the name of the tick that bites humans? - in detail
The tick most frequently associated with human bites is commonly called the deer tick, scientifically «Ixodes scapularis». In Europe the principal species is the castor‑bean tick, «Ixodes ricinus». Additional species that regularly feed on people include the American dog tick, «Dermacentor variabilis», and the Lone Star tick, «Amblyomma americanum».
Key characteristics of these ticks:
- Taxonomy – All belong to the class Arachnida, order Ixodida.
- Habitat – «Ixodes scapularis» thrives in wooded, humid regions of the eastern United States; «Ixodes ricinus» occupies temperate forests across Europe and parts of North Africa; «Dermacentor variabilis» prefers grassy fields and open woodlands; «Amblyomma americanum» is common in the southeastern United States, often found in tall grasses and brush.
- Life cycle – Each species progresses through egg, larva, nymph, and adult stages, requiring a blood meal at each active stage. Human contact most often occurs during the nymphal and adult phases.
- Disease transmission – «Ixodes scapularis» vectors Lyme disease (caused by Borrelia burgdorferi) and anaplasmosis; «Ixodes ricinus» transmits Lyme disease, tick‑borne encephalitis, and rickettsial infections; «Dermacentor variabilis» is a vector for Rocky Mountain spotted fever; «Amblyomma americanum» can transmit ehrlichiosis and Southern tick‑associated fever.
Preventive measures focus on avoidance of tick habitats during peak activity periods, use of repellents containing DEET or permethrin, and thorough body checks after exposure. Prompt removal of attached ticks reduces the risk of pathogen transmission.